Question:
Hi, me and husband own a beach condo. In the resent month, the HOA had a meeting to propose a special assessment for an eclectic box for the building. The HOA had a quote from an outside electrician for about $13000,. However, right before the owner vote, one of the board members suddenly suggested to do a cover box for the electric box for an extra $3000 without a quote. And the member is the one who is making box and he owns a construction company. After this happen, we refused to pay the $3000 cover box because A. without a quote and it is extremely high priced. B Done by a board member who makes profit out of it. C. A cover for an electric box cannot be assessed through a special assessment
Is there regulation in WA that governs special assessment? Thanks
Yaming.
– Yaming
Answer:
Hi Yaming,
According to RCW 64.90.525, HOAs must follow strict rules when implementing special assessments. The HOA board is required to notify all homeowners and hold a meeting where the assessment is reviewed and potentially voted on by the owners. For an assessment to be valid, a majority or specified threshold must agree to it, as outlined in the HOA’s governing documents.
In cases like your HOA’s $3,000 cover box, any additional cost should be justified with competitive quotes, especially if a board member is involved in the work to avoid conflicts of interest. If proper procedure wasn’t followed, you may have grounds to dispute the assessment. Additionally, if there is a conflict of interest, the board member with the conflict should recuse themselves from the vote.
Disclaimer: We are not lawyers. The information provided on this website does not constitute legal advice.
